ME London

The relatively unassuming exterior of Spanish hotel chain Meliá's luxury London offering gives little away of what's inside: 157 rooms and suites set around a mesmerising marble atrium, capped off with a sprawling rooftop bar serving great cocktails to sip while you admire the London skyline.

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Rooms from

£234per night

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Occupancy

Rooms

Adults

Children

Ages of children

Airport

Location

8/10

On the Strand intersection with Aldwych, opposite Somerset House. The shops of Covent Garden and theatres of Drury Lane lie on one side; the river to the other. The shape of the hotel means most rooms have either one of these views; those at the front of its triangular structure have both. Window glass is plenty thick enough for the roaring traffic outside not to be an issue – we couldn't hear a peep from the third floor.

Style & character

9/10

The highlights of ME are discreetly hidden from public view – so, like its exterior, the hotel's ground floor is deceptively low key: it's up on the first floor that things get interesting. This is The Atrium, where guests check in: an almost 100-foot-high hollow white marble pyramid with roving light show across its three walls. The effect really is mesmerising, and even better for when enjoyed with a glass of complimentary prosecco served to you upon arrival.

Corridors clad in black marble have a certain Ministry of Magic air to them; the effect slightly discombobulating when emerging bleary-eyed the morning after. The other ME by Meliá hotels are in cities that really come alive at night – Ibiza, Madrid and Miami to name but a few – and this too feels very much like a party hotel.

Service & facilities

8/10

Service is professional and sleek: dressed in black, the staff seem almost to blend into the surroundings, appearing intuitively when you need them, while still being friendly and down-to-earth. Most inconspicuous of all is the Aura Team, members of which glide through the hotel monitoring lights, scents and more to guarantee a perfect ambience at all time – and your own personal Aura Manager is at your beck and call to do the same in personal spaces.

Clearly staff want guests to have a good time, and the lack of pool and spa doesn't feel like too much of an issue when the emphasis is more on this than any kind of clean-living. Those who like to repent for their sins, however, will be relieved to know there is a well-equipped gym.

Bar

Fitness centre

Laundry

Parking

Restaurant

Room service

Wi-Fi

Rooms

9/10

Technology is paramount here, and though phobics may be initially overwhelmed by the myriad digital-display panels that control all manner of sensory experiences, they are surprisingly user-friendly, and staff are always happy to jump to your aid if you do struggle. There are 157 rooms in total, 17 of which are suites, where you'll really have a good time, if budget can stretch: huge and unusually shaped baths, luxurious walk-in rain showers and extravagant living rooms, although all categories benefit from comforts such as Nespresso machines and Apivita toiletries. Those with flat tresses, like me, will appreciate the diffuser attachment included with the hairdryer.

Décor is futuristic and soothing, with monochrome and metallic tones. In the suites these are complimented by splashes of colour, for example from fresh flowers, with plans to extend this across the board.

The star of the show, for a real blow-out (it'll set you back upwards of £4,360), is the duplex Suite Me, which has its own panoramic glass-walled living room at the very top of the hotel, adjoined to the Radio Rooftop Bar, a directly accessible section of which can be used for private parties.

Food & drink

8/10

The party vibe continues at STK, specialising in steak (geddit?), though there are plenty of other options available too: interesting vegetarian choices, a tasty lobster show-stopper and imginative smaller dishes including an addictive blue-cheese soaked brioche-type bread with garlic dip brought over to nibble on. Parsnips in maple syrup were the only let-down, as they had been drowned with the result of ending up almost inedibly sweet. The wine list is hugely extensive and we were made good by-the-glass recommendations.

If you don't fancy loud music and dim lighting while you eat, head to the Italian Cucina Asellina, a more traditional affair with big windows onto the street outside, where a breakfast buffet offering everything you'd expect is also served.

A pre- or post-dinner drink at the Radio Rooftop Bar is a must: access is via a separate lift that transports you straight there, although beware the queues that form for this at peak times. There's a terrace with artificial grass and heaters to enjoy al fresco drinks with a view all-year round. We had a Tommy's Margarita and Kiss From a Rose bellini, both of which were dangerously delicious.

Value for money

8/10

Double rooms from £290, suites from £630, excluding breakfast - priced at £30 for everything, or à la carte. The suites in particular are expensive (the next category up from £630 comes in at £950), but you do get considerable bang for your buck, and all rates are on a par with other five-star hotels in the area. A good choice for a special occasion. Free Wi-Fi.

Access for guests with disabilities?

Yes - there are seven accessible rooms.

Family-friendly?

One child per room/suite can be accommodated, and interconnecting rooms are available, but this is a hotel in which grown-ups can let their hair down, and with no pool, there is nothing specific to keep children occupied.